Printing press mechanism



Sept. 13,,1938- B. D. STEVENS ET AL 2,129,972

PRINTING PRESS MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 1, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 13, 1938. B. D. STEVENS ET AL PRINTING PRESS MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 1, 1933 w j r mum- 'lllllllllllllll \lllllllllllllllllllllfillllll llll mummlllll' gy [meat Vera/Me 521/5 17 61606225 Edward FD Sept. 13, 1938. I B. D. STEVENS ET AL 2,129,972

PRINTING PRESS MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 1, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 13, 1938. B. D. STEVENS ET AL PRINTING PRESS MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 1, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Q mm E a M 0 M w E WV: J w

Sept. 13, 1938. B. D. STEVENS ETAL 2,129,972

PRINTING PRESS MECHANISM Original Filed Dec. 1, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet /Z Q A55 IV I H i4 12 70 1 r #3 /Z /Z6 7 Z6 1'57 Bari Z7 5Z6U6766. Edward ifladi g Ernest /J. Vsrru er,

Patented Sept. 13, 1938 PATIENT. OFFICE 2,129,972 PRINTING PRESS MECHANISM Burt D. Stevens, Chicago, and Edward F. Dudley,

Oak Park, Ill., and Ernest A. Verrinder, Bedlands, Calif., assignors to Mlehle Printing Press and Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Original application December 1, 1933, Serial No.

Patent No. 2,085,833, dated July 6, Divided and this application April 15,

1931, Serial No. 136,998

This invention relates to a printing press and, while adapted for use on various types of printing presses, it finds particular application in connection with presses of the sheet-fed, bed-andcylinder class in which two or more single color printing units are arranged in tandem to provide a press for producing multi-color work.

4 In multi-color printing presses, particularly of the bed-and-cylinder class, a transfer cylinder is arranged between the impression cylinders of two adjacent printing units for the purpose of transferring the sheets from the impression cylinder of one color unit, after having received their first impression therefrom,-to the impression cylinder of the other unit to receive their second color impression,

Such arrangements have the disadvantage for instance that any variation in the register which frequently develops during the printing of a job due to shrinkage or stretching of the stock and other causes, cannot be corrected without considerable loss of time, because on that type of presses such correction requires accurate and tedious readjustments of the sheet controlling means and other parts involved.

Furthermore, because of the several color impressions being applied to the sheets in quick succession, no drying time is provided between each color impression, resulting in smutting of the first impression during the transfer of the sheets from a one impression cylinder to the other with the printed side of the sheets facing the transfer cylinder.

Moreover, it is impossible to observe the first impression and color setting on a sheet, because the sheet, at the time it again becomes visible to the pressman, after having been fed to the press, has received the impressions from all of the color units. It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to eliminate the disadvantages referred.

to above by the provision of a press in which for the conventional transfer cylinder a novel sheet transferv and controlling means is substituted which will make it possible to observe the impression of a sheet as it comes from the first color unit, provide ample time for the ink of the first or any preceding impressions to dry before a succorrect any variation in the register of the impressions. These and other objects set forth hereinafter are accomplished by the arrangement disclosed .55 in the following description and illustrated by ceeding impression is applied, as well as to readily way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a. side elevation of two single color printing units combined into a two-color printing press and embodying the features of this inven- 5 tion;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the forwarding table which receives sheets from the delivery conveyor of the first unit and on which the sheets bearing the first impression are again registered before 10 they are passed into the second unit to receive the second color impression;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are sectional views taken along lines 3-4, H and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 2; 15

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the driving mechanism shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a cross section taken along line '|-'l of Figure 6; showing also the drive shaft for the driving mechanism; 20

Figure 8 is a cross section taken along line 8-4 of Figure 6;

Figures 9 and 10 are details of the suction wheel arrangement used for forwarding and controlling the sheets of stock while passing over the for- 25 warding table shownin Figure 2; A

Figure 11 is a cross section taken along line liil of Figure 10; and

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken along line, |2--l2 of Figure 10. 30

Referring now to Figure 1, each printing unit has a frame II, 20', respectively, which frames are rigidly held in spaced relation to each other by means of a base plate 2i. The first unit A is provided with an automatic feeder 22 from which 35 sheets of stock to be printed are fed to the impression cylinder 23 in any known conventional manner. After a sheet has received its impression from the form on the bed 24 of the first unit, the sheet is taken over by the delivery conveyor 40 25 which in the preferred form illustrated is of the endless chain and gripper type. Thisconveyor deposits the sheet bearing the first impression onto av forwarding table 26 on which the sheet will be slowed down and re-registered prior to 45 receiving its/second. impression, as will be explained hereinafter in detail.

impression cylinder speed. After the sheet has received its second impression on the unit B, it is taken over by the delivery conveyor 25' of the second unit, and subsequently deposited onto the 5 pile delivery 21.

By the provision of a forwarding table between adjacent printing units, in addition to the endless conveyor shown, ample time is provided for the ink of one impression to dry before a sheet receives its successive impression. The pressman may also readily observe the color setting, etc., of any impression while the sheets printed side up are on the forwarding table during their transfer from one printing unit to another.

It will also be understood that by the arrangement of accessible registering means on the forare given a variable speed of rotation in order to slow down a sheet prior to its reaching its registering position. Rotation is imparted to all of said forwarding wheels from any convenient part of the press drive, preferably by means of a shaft 45 and a bevel gear 46, see Figure 5, which gear extends into the drive case 41 mounted on one side of the table 26, see Figure 2.

The shafts 48 and 49, which carry the suction wheels 43 and 44 respectively, extend through the side wall or flange 56 of the forwarding table 26, and the bevel pinions 5|, 52 keyed to the free ends of said shafts mesh with complementary bevel pinions 53 and -54 carried by the shaft 55, which is continually rotated at a uniform speed from the drive shaft 45, through the intermediary of the bevel pinion 56, pinion 51 and bevel pinions 56 and 59.

As indicated above, the suction wheels 42, located near the front end of the forwarding table 26, are not rotated at a uniform speed but are driven at a variable speed for the purpose of slowing down a sheet prior to it being presented to the registering guides. The mechanism whereby the variable speed is accomplished is shown in Figures 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7. The cam shaft 66 which constitutes the drive shaft for said mechanism, carries at one end a helical gear or worm wheel 6|, see Figures 6 and 7, which wheel meshes with a helical gear or worm 62 provided on the continually rotating shaft 55.; At the other free end of the shaft 66 is mounted a centroidal gear 63, Figures 2 and 3, which in turn meshes with a complementary centroidal gear 64 mounted for rotation, together with a pinion 65, on a stud 66 G5 threaded into the side of the table 26. Pinions 61 and 68, which are integral and mounted for rotation on stud 69, preferably driven into a bore in the table 26, transmit a variable rotation to the solid shaft 16 and therewith to the suction 70 wheels 42, by means of a pinion H which is secured by any convenient means to the reduced free end of the solid shaft 16. The timing of the centroidal gears, of course, is such that the suction wheels 42 rotate at top speed at the moment when a sheet reaches them, while from then on a pump on the press.

until the leading edge of a sheet is presented to the front guides, the rotation of said wheels will be decelerated so that they will have assumed their lowest speed and thereby have sufficiently slowed down the sheet by the time it reaches the 5 front registering guides to assure smooth contact of its leading edge with said guides. The train of gears whereby this variable rotation of the shaft 1615 produced may be covered by a guard C.

Suction is applied to the forwarding wheels 42, 11 43 and 44 in timed relationship andpreferably controlled by the means illustrated in Figures 2 and 5 to 8.

In the housing 12 is provided a bore 13, see Fi ures 6 and 8, into which is threaded a nipple 14 1 for connection with the main air line 15, which leads to any conventional vacuum system such as Air vents 16 extend from the bore 13 to the inner face 11 of said housing.

Referring now particularly to Figures 6 and 8 2 of the drawings, the housing 12 is provided with three bores 16 into which are driven studs 16, 66 and 6|, each of which has a reduced portion 82 which projects beyond the face in the housing I2 in order to provide bearing journals for the air control valve gears 63, 84 and 65. These gears are held in position on their respective journals by means of a cover plate 86 secured to the housing 12 preferably by bolts 61 and sultably spaced from the face 11 in any convenient manner so that said gears will be free to rotate between the face 11 and the plate 66. Each one of said gears functions as a valve to control the vacuum to the respective suction wheels in the forwarding table 26, and for that purpose airv openings 66 are provided in said gears in such position that once during every revolution of a gear the opening 66 therein will align itself with its corresponding air vent in the housing 12. In the cover plate 66 and in alignment with said air vents 16 are tapped holes 88 into which are secured nipples 66 of air lines 6|, which latter. lead to the respective-suction wheels in the forwarding table 26. It will be understood, therefore, that vacuum will only then be applied to said suction wheels when the holes 68 in the cover plate, air openings 66 in the valve gears and air vents 16 in the housing 12 are in alignment.

Said valve gears intermesh and are driven to rotate continually in one direction by a gear 82, see Figures 6 and 7, carried by the cam shaft 66 and held against rotation on the hub 63 of the worm wheel 6| by means of a pin 94 driven into said hub, the worm wheel 6| being splined to the shaft 66 by a key 65 and secured in position by a set screw 66 in said hub and bearing against said key.

The speed at which the air control valve gears 63, 84 and 65 are driven is such that for every sheet fed to the printing couple of the second unit of the press, each of said wheels will perform one complete revoution. As will be understood from the location of the air openings 68 in said wheels and indicated in Figure 6, vacuum will first be applied to the wheel 63 during that period when its air opening 66 is in alignment with its corresponding air vent 16 in the housing 12 and with its corresponding tapped hole 86 in the cover plate 86. At that time no vacuum will b applied through the air openings 88 either i wheel 64 or wheel 85. When the opening 86 i wheel 63 is about to pass beyond its correspond ing air vent I6, then the opening 88 in wheel 6 will commence to move into alignment with it corresponding air vent l6 and through its ai line 9! will apply vacuum to the second set 43 of the suction wheels in the forwarding table 26. By the time the vacuum to the suction wheels 143 is cut ofi by the continued rotation of the valve gear 84, the opening 88 in gear 85 will have moved into alignment with its corresponding air vent i6 and thereby apply vacuum to the front suction wheels 32 in the forwarding table through the air line 9| leading thereto.

As indicated in Figure 6, the opening 88 in the wheel 85 is of an elongated shape, the purpose of which will be apparent from the following description.

The suction wheels 63 and id function merely to advance the sheets over the forwarding table 26, while the wheels 52, in addition to advancing the sheets over said table, act to control them during that period when the sheets are being given their front and side registering movement. In order to accomplish this, it is essential that means be provided whereby the air pressure, 1. e., the vacuum, to the wheels 32 can be suitably varied to accommodate stock of different weights. The preferred form of such means is illustrated in Figure 5 of the drawings and includes a bypass tube 97, which provides a direct connection between the main air line i5 and the front suction wheels 62. The air pressure within the tube 9? is controlled by means of a petcock 98, which together with a relief valve 99 are interposed between said tube and the main line 15.

A second relief valve 9% is mounted on the cover plate 12 and has for its purpose to establish direct communication to the atmosphere through an air port provided in said plate and located in such position that once during every revolution of the air control valve gear 85, it will come into alignment with the air opening 89 in said gear and thereby brake the vacuum to the suction wheels 62. The timing of the relief valve me with the opening 88 in the gear 85 being such that when the leading edge of asheet is about one-half inch from the front registering guides of the press, the vacuum applied to the wheels 52 will be relieved for the purpose of avoiding buckling of the sheet when its leading edge reaches the front registering guides.

By the time the sheet has reached its registering position, vacuum through the valve gear 85 will have been cut off completely and the wheels .62 will thereupon be in direct communication with the main air line 75 through the auxiliary bypass tube 91. The amount of suction applied to the sheet through said tube being controlled by the setting of the petcock 98, only sufiicient suction is required to hold the sheet down after it has been registered and to thereby prevent displacement of the sheet, also to prevent the side guides from pulling the sheet away from its front registering guides during registering movement of said side guides.

The setting of the petcocl: 93 is constant for the majority of stock handled on presses of this type, but for extremely light stock, for instance, or cardboard, the volume-of air pressure in the by-pass tube 51 may be suitably varied.

The relief valve 99 is used for relieving the suction in the main line 15 and thereby in the suction tubes on the forwarding table when exceedingly light stock, suchas tissue paper, is handled on the press. By suitable adjustment of the relief valve 99, the vacuum can be held to a minimum so that during the forwarding of such exceptionally light stock the paper will not be sucked into the air vents of the suction wheels.

It might also be mentioned here that the vacuum at the air wheels M is so timed with the grippers on the delivery conveyor that'before said grippers release the sheet, suction will have been applied to said wheels so that the sheet may be under positive control during its transfer from the delivery conveyor to the forwarding table 26. In order that sheets to be registered will not be thrown out of alignment with the front registering guides during the side registering of the sheets, the front suction wheels 62, in addition to their rotary motion have a lateral movement while a sheet is under their control, which movement is accomplished by means of a cam NH mounted on the cam shaft 60, see Figure 2. A rocking lever 22 pivotally mounted on abracket 803 is secured to the side of the forwarding table and which lever at one end carries a roller ltd engaging in the cam groove M of the cam mi, while the other end of said lever is provided with a gear sector we engaging the teeth of a rack member 881', secured to, the hollow shaft 808, on whichthe suction wheels 32 and associated parts are arranged as a unit to move therewith laterally. I

In order that the wheels 32, which rotate with the shaft i0, may readily slide longitudinally of said shaft to follow the lateral movement of the shaft I88, they may be splined to the latter shaft by means of a key and a key-way or in any other preferred manner. During the rotation of the shaft 60, which carries the cam IN, the lever Hi2 will be rocked and consequently the wheels 62 will be moved laterally to and fro on the shaft E0. The lateral movement of said wheels of course occurs after suction has been cut ofi on the wheels 33 and 45, so that the sheet will be entirely under the control of the wheels 32. Furthermore, it will be readily understood that the suction in the wheels a2 will be timed so that during the return lateral movement of said wheels, namely, during the in movement to the left, as viewed in Figure '2, no suction will be applied to said wheels.

The side guide i081, which may be of-any wellknown conventional construction, is imparted its lateral movementpreferably by means of a. cam Hi! pinned to the cam shaft 66, which cam engages a roller Hi mounted on a stud M2 carried by a fork M3, the stem ti t of which is piv otally connected to abell crank lever I it, one arm of which is provided with a gear sector H6 engaging in a rack bar H? adapted to reciprocate in the front end of the forwarding table 26 and one While any suitable type of suction wheels may' be used in connection with this invention, a preferred construction is illustrated in Figures 9 to 12 inclusive. according to which each forwarding wheel unit comprises a. series of discs I it, provided with perforations H9 and slots'lm, one of which extends from'every perforation to the periphery of the discs. Each one of said discs is secured to the shaft 10, preferably by a key MI .in order to rotate with said shaft. On the hollow stationary shaft I08 are'mounted onnecting brackets I22 which are secured against lateral displacement on said shaft by means of set screws I23 or the like and in such position that the bore I24, provided in each bracket, will communicate with a port hole I25 in said shaft. Lateral air vents I26 extend from the inner end of the bore I24 to each side face of the brackets I22, which vents in turn communicate with the perforations III! in the discs II8 through ports I21 provided in sealing discs I28. These discs are secured against rotation with the shaft 10, preferably by means of a pin I29 driven into the bracket I22 and extending on both sides thereof into bores I30 provided in the discs I28. By means of these discs an air tight seal is provided between the bracket I22 and the discs or wheels H8. The outer faces of said wheels are sealed by means of discs I3I loosely mounted on the shaft I0. In order to maintain constant sealing condition between the bracket I22, wheels H8 and sealing discs I28 and I3I, compression springs I32 are interposed between the latter discs and retention collars I33, which are adjustably mounted onthe shaft 1d and are held in position by means of set screws I34, whereby the tension of said springs, and therewith the degree of pressure applied between said wheels and sealing discs may be suitably varied, With this arrangement it is possible to readily dismantle the entire suction wheel unit for replacement of any parts or for cleaning purposes.

In order to facilitate cleaning out of the bore I24 in the brackets I22 an opening is provided to communicate with the inner end of said bore and which opening is normally sealed by means of a screw I35.

It will be apparent from this disclosure that during the rotation of the shaft 10 and therewith of the wheels H8, the perforations H9 in the latter will successively come into alignment with the ports I21 in the discs I28 so that suction will be applied through the corresponding slot I20 of each perforationas it passes the port I21. Each hollow shaft I 08 of the different suction wheel units is connected to its respective suction controlling means by' way of air lines SI as indicated in Figures 2 and 8.

This application is a divisional of ourapplication which has issued as Patent No. 2,085,833 under date of July 6, 1937.

What is claimed is: v

1. In a printing press, the combination of a forwarding table, registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising a series of sheet conveying elements, means whereby the speed of some of said elements is varied to slow down a sheet and control it as it approaches said registering means, and means for imparting to said latter elements a lateral motion.

2. In a printing press, the combination of a forwarding table, registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table, a plurality of suction wheels, means to drive some of said wheels to advance a sheet over said table at a uniform speed, means to drive other of said wheels at a variable speed to control a sheet as it approaches said registering means, and means whereby suction is applied to said suction wheels in timed relation to'each other.

3. In a printing press, the combination of a forwarding table, registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table, a plurality of suction wheels, means to drive some of said wheels at a variable speed to control a sheet as it approaches said registering means.

4. In a printing press, thecombination of a forwarding table, front registering means, side registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising one series of suction wheels driven at a uniform speed to advance a sheet over said table, a second series of suction wheels driven at a variable speed, means whereby suction is applied to both of said series of suction wheels in timed relation to each other, and means whereby-said. second series of wheels is given a lateral motion to move a sheet toward said side registering means as it approaches said front registering means.

5. In a printing press, the combination of a forwarding table, front registering means, side registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising a plurality of sheet conveying elements operated in timed relation to each other, and means whereby some of said elements are given a lateral motion to move a sheet against said side registering means as it approaches said front registering means.

6. In a printing press, the combination of a forwarding table, registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising a series of suction wheels, means whereby suction is applied to said wheels in timed intervals to advance a sheet and control it as it approaches said registering means, and means to vary the amount of suction applied to said wheels.

7. In a printing press, the combination of a forwarding table, registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising a series of suction elemen means whereby suction is applied to said elements at timed intervals to advance a sheet and control it as it approaches said registering means, and means to vary the amount ofsuction applied to said elements.

8. In a printing press, the combination of a forwarding table, registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising a series of suction wh means whereby suction is applied to said wheels in timed intervals to advance a sheet and control it as it approaches said registering means, and means to vary the amount of suction applied to some of said wheels without affecting the suction to the other wheels. I

9. In a printing press, the combination of a sheet forwarding table, a plurality of sheet conveying elements carried by said table, means'to impart to said elements different speeds, and means whereby some of said elements are given a lateral movement.

10. In a printing located between adjacent units and adapted to receive sheets of paper from one of said units and forward them to theother unit, registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising a series of suction wheels, and means whereby suction is applied to said wheels in timed intervals to advance a. sheet of sheet conveying elements, means whereby the speed of some of said elements is varied to slow press, the combination of a. plurality of printing units, a forwarding table plurality of paper handling units, a forwarding down a sheet andcontrolit as it approaches said registering means, and means for imparting to said latter elements a lateral motion.

12. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of paper handling units, a forwarding table adapted'to receive sheets of paper from one of said units and transfer them to anotherunlt. registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table, a plurality of suction wheels, means to drive some 'of said wheels to advance a sheet over said table at a uniform speed, means to drive other of said wheels at a variable speed to control a sheet as it approaches said registering means, and means whereby suction is applied to said suction wheels in timed relation to each other.

13. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of paper handling units, a forwarding table adapted to receive sheets of paper from one,

no of said units and transfer them to another unit,

registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table, a plurality of suction wheels, means to ririve some of said wheels at a variable speed to control a sheet as it approaches as said registering means. 7

14. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of paper handling units, a forwarding table adapted to receive sheets of paper from .one of said units and transfer them to another son-unit, front registering means, side registering I means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising one series of suction wheels driven at a uniform speed to advance a sheet over said table, a second series of suction I 3 wheels driven at a. variable speed, means whereby suction is applied to both of said series of suction wheels in timed relation to each other, and

means whereby said second series of wheels is given a lateral motion to move a sheet toward 40' said side registering means as it approaches said front registering means.

15. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of paper handling units, a forwarding table adapted to receive sheets of paper from 45 one of said ,units and transfer them to another unit, front registering means, side registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising a plurality of sheet conveying elements operated in timed relation to 50 each other, and means whereby some of said elements are given a lateral motion to move a sheet toward said side reglsiiifirlng means as 'it approaches said front registering means.

16. In a printing press. the combination of a table adapted to receive sheets of paper from one of said units and transfer them to another unit, registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising a series of suction wheels, means whereby suction is ap plied to said wheels in timed intervals to advance a sheet and control it as it approaches said registering means, and means to vary the amount of suction applied to said wheels. I

17. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of paper handling units, a forwarding table adapted to receive sheets of paper from one of said units and transfer them, to another unit, registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising a series of suction elements, means whereby suction is applied to said elements at timed intervals to advance a sheet and control it as it approaches said registering means, and means to vary the amount of suction applied to said elements.

l8. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of paper handling units, a forwarding table adapted to receive sheets of paper from one of said units and transfer them to another unit,

registering means, sheet controlling means associated with said table and comprising a series of suction wheels, means whereby suction is applied to said wheels in timed intervals to advance a sheet and control it as it approaches said registering means, and means to vary the amount of suction applied to some of said wheels without affecting the suction to the other wheels.

-19. In a printing press, the combination of a plurality of sheet handling units, a sheet forwarding table located between adjacent units and adapted to receive sheets of paper from one of said units and forward them to the other unit, rotary sheet 'ccnveyinge lements carried by said table, and means for imparting to said elements a variable speed.

20. In a printing press, the plurality of sheet handling units, a sheet forwarding tables located between adjacent units and adapted to receive sheets of paper from one of said units and forward them to the other unit, a plurality of sheet conveying elements carried by said table, means to impart to said elecombination of a ments different speeds, and means whereby some.

of said elements are given a lateral movement.

Bma'rm. STEVENS. EDWARD F? DUDLEY. ERNEST A. vnnnmnnn. 

